Heartsease
by Ceireavne
Summary: As the new girl at a private school, Fee begins to develop feelings for her history teacher, Oifey. Despite the tragedies he's been through, he tends to keep his own counsel. Perhaps, though, Fee will find a way to help him find his peace of mind. Jugdral AU.
1. The First Day

Fee entered the building through its broad oaken doors. Scattered throughout the halls were teachers and other faculty, reminding students to head to their advisory classes. _221_ , her schedule read. _Chalphy, room 221_.

It was on the second floor, of course, and she managed to find it easily enough. Fee saw an empty desk near the back of the classroom and gratefully made her way to it.

From the next desk over, a girl with silver hair smiled in her direction. "Hey there. You're new, right?"

"Umm," Fee stammered nervously. "Y-yeah..."

"Cool. My name is Tine. How about you?"

"Fee," she managed.

A girl a few desks away saw the two chatting and came over. "Tine, didja meet someone new?"

She nodded at the brunette. "Linda, this is Fee. Fee, meet Linda. She's my cousin," Tine said with a grin. The two didn't look particularly related, but Fee decided to take their word for it.

"So, where do you come from?" Linda asked curiously.

Fee felt her face turning red, but answered nonetheless. "I-I transferred from Silesse High."

Tine cast her new acquaintance a quizzical look. "Transferring to a private school for your final year? That's weird. Although I suppose if you moved here from out of state..."

A reluctant sigh passed Fee's lips. "Yeah..." she agreed.

"Cheer up," Linda chimed. "I think you'll like it here. Tine and I can show you around a bit, if you'd like."

"Really?" she asked, feeling relieved. "I... I think I'd like that very much."

Before they could continue, the bell chimed, announcing the start of class. Their advisory teacher, who'd been chatting with other faculty in the hallway, casually made his way into the classroom. "Good morning, class. As you all know, my name is Mr. Chalphy. Since this is our third year of this, I'm sure you already know the drill..." He picked up his class roster and quickly scanned through it. "Mm? Ah, it seems we've got a new student with us." Casting his brown eyes about the class, his gaze finally settled on Fee. "Ms. Edda, is it? Care to introduce yourself to class? Everyone else already knows each other."

The entire class turned her way, and Fee felt her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She stood up and gave them a wooden wave. "L-like he said, I'm Fee Edda. Nice to meet you, everyone." With that, she quickly returned to her seat.

Mr. Chalphy smiled pleasantly at her. "Thank you, Miss Edda. If you have any questions, we'll be glad to help you out as needed." Then, addressing the rest of class, "Now, with that all cleared up, we'll be heading to the auditorium shortly. The principle, Mr. Velthomer, has some words of wisdom to share with you." He glanced to the schedule on his desk. "In about ten minutes, it looks like. Until then, you are free to socialize. Hopefully I don't need to remind you seniors to maintain your inside voices." And with that, their teacher took a seat at his desk and began working at his computer.

Fee's classmates were—either genuinely or feigningly—interested in getting to know her. It wasn't a large class by most measures, roughly twenty students in all. Still, the sheer volume of attention from her classmates within those ten minutes soon had her feeling overwhelmed. The room's loudspeaker cut on, interrupting the chatter: "All senior classes, at this time please head to the auditorium."

Mr. Chalphy led them from the classroom, and to the balcony of the auditorium. They each took a seat, and to her relief, Fee found herself sat between her new friends Tine and Linda. A mantle of excited chatter dressed the auditorium from end to end as classmates rejoined for the first time since summer break.

Eventually, though, a tall man strode onto the stage. He wore his scarlet hair cropped short, and moved with an air of nobility. Without using a microphone, his voice cut through the din of the auditorium, demanding silence. "Welcome back to Belhalla Secondary, Crusaders. For those new to our school, I'm our principle, Mr. Velthomer. Fates willing, this will be your last year with us. Now, I'm well aware that most all of you are familiar with our school policies by now. However, since we've a few new faces among us, I'll touch upon them briefly."

He cast his dark eyes across the student body as he continued. "As a private school, we do have a dress code. Students not meeting the uniform requirements will be sent home forthwith. Apparel is important at your age, and I understand how chafing the idea of a uniform can be. However, our dress code is important as it prevents disruptions and helps preserve our students' modesty. The very same as last year, as most of you already know."

"As for attendance, use your brain. If you cut class, you _will_ be found out. Your guardians will be notified, and you'll more than likely earn your way into in-school suspension. It's not fun for us, it's not fun for you, so just don't do it."

"Regarding drugs and other substances: again, use your brain. This goes for the school day proper as well as school-sanctioned events. Students found under the influence of a drug or otherwise inappropriate substance can and may well face immediate expulsion. We have a zero-tolerance policy here at Belhalla Secondary, and that means we expect you to stay drug-free."

"I think our other policies may stand as they are written in this year's school planner. Otherwise, you will listen to any faculty requests—that's nonnegotiable. Defiance of teachers or administration will also likely land you an in-school suspension."

"Now you know I could go on all day about our policies," Mr. Velthomer continued wryly. "Fortunately for you all, I won't. Teachers, go ahead and lead your classes back to your rooms. Since this is the third year for most of you, we have no tour planned. And, as is our first-day tradition, we will release you seniors early today. New students, feel free to ask your advisory teacher or your classmates to show you around. Just be mindful not to disrupt the advisory classes still in session. With that, I hope to see you all bright and early tomorrow, ready to learn. Thank you," he concluded with a bow.

Mr. Chalphy led his advisory back to their room, and Fee's classmates immediately gathered up their things and began to leave. A few stragglers stayed behind to chat, Tine and Linda among them.

Soon enough, Fee was approached by the two cousins. "Hey Fee, we were planning on going to the mall," chimed Tine. "A new cafe opened there, we were going to go check out their bubble tea. Want to come with? It'll be our treat."

"Ehh," she flashed them a rueful smile. "Sorry, but I can't. Maybe another time?"

Linda made a sour face, then shrugged dismissively. "Your loss. Shall we go, Tine?"

Her cousin nodded, and the two left.

Fee sighed, trying not to feel so overwhelmed. In truth, there had been nothing stopping her from going with her new acquaintances. Nothing except social anxiety, at least. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, by which time the rest of the students had left.

Mr. Chalphy cast her a bespectacled glance from behind his desk, amused. "Still here, Miss Edda? Did you need me to show you around campus before you leave?"

His voice brought the girl back from her woolgathering. She glanced up to her teacher, faintly alarmed. "O-oh," she stammered. "No, Mr. Chalphy, b-but thank you anyway. I need to be heading home."

The teacher nodded silently in response. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. You are in my history class, correct?"

Fee tried to imagine her schedule, failed, and ending up rummaging through her bag to check it. "Senior history. Chalphy, room 221," she read aloud.

"Indeed," he said with a pleasant smile. "Stay cool on the way home, Miss Edda. It's quite hot today."

She nodded absently, then turned to go home.


	2. Marth, the heretic

As she came home, Fee was greeted by Marth, her pet dog. He was a mutt, but Fee's dad always liked to call him a poodle. She petted him thoroughly before heading up to her room to shower and change. After that, she returned to the living room, where it was usually coolest.

Sprawling out on the couch, Fee was shortly joined by a slobbery Marth. She flicked the tv on, and after flipping through the channels, gave up on finding anything interesting.

"How've you been, Marth?" she asked, idly scratching behind his ears.

The dog promptly left the couch to fetch one of his toys. It was his favorite, a plastic sword complete with a squeaker. Fee grabbed its hilt and began playing tug with him.

"Poor guy," she cooed, "alone all day and no one to play with. What a tragic life you live."

Marth growled appreciatively and continued tugging, greatly enjoying himself.

After a while of their game, the dog managed to wrest the sword from Fee's hand. He barked triumphantly before settling down on the other side of the room with his toy.

"Aaagh, I'm so boooored," Fee lamented. "Mars, what should I dooooo?"

The mutt glanced over to her and gave her a silent woof, then resumed gnawing on his squeaky sword.

Fee rolled off the couch to her feet and went to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and, scanning its contents, promptly closed it.

"Maaaaarth," she lamented once more. "It still feels like summer... I think I'm going to die from boredom. You hear that? I'm going to diiiiieeee."

The mutt trundled into the kitchen and gave her another soundless woof. If he could talk, she knew exactly what he'd have said: _But why didn't you go to the mall with those two classmates?_

"Shut up," she grumbled, crossing her arms. "I'm just... I'm kinda shy, okay? Especially on the first day. Moving to Belhalla was... weird," she thought aloud.

Marth merely watched her in silence, wagging his tail. And then he laid down at the other end of the kitchen, watching carefully.

"… you goober," Fee said affectionately. "So, do you feel like going on a walk? … I honestly don't know what else to do right now."

And immediately Marth stood up, agreeing with an imperative bark.

Fee couldn't help but grin. "Alright, Mars Bars." She walked over to the coat closet and grabbed the dog's leash. He came over to her and sat obediently. Fee clipped the leash to his collar, and after putting on her shoes, she took him outside.

Although she wasn't used to Belhalla yet, Fee was aware there was a park not too far from her house. The two made their way there, stopping along fire hydrants as Marth deemed fit.

The actual park, once they were there, was quite kempt. By its full perimeter, it was about a mile's walk—more than enough exercise for the old mutt.

After a largely uneventful walk, the two companions made their way home. A faded red civic was parked in the driveway, meaning her dad had returned from work for the day. The two climbed the front steps and Fee opened the front door. Marth led her inside, and Fee took a full moment or two to appreciate the air conditioning. She then stooped down, unclipping Marth's leash, before hanging it back up by the coat closet.

"Fee, is that you?" her dad called from across the house.

Languorously, she made her way down the hall before peeking her head into his study. "Daaaaad," she complained, "Belhalla sucks. There's nothing to do here."

He glanced up from his computer with furrowed brow. "Fee," he explained, "you know how it is. The Mid-Grannvalian Conference moved us here. I didn't have any choice in the matter."

"You don't understaaaaand," she insisted, "I'm going to die from boredom, dad. For real this time."

Her father shook his head, causing light to glint from his long, golden hair. "You look perfectly fine to me, dear. And I've seen plenty of injuries in my time, so I would know."

Fee rolled her eyes, but managed to refrain from commenting. Her father, Claud, was always going on about his time served as a combat medic. Anymore, he was just a pastor at one of the churches here in Belhalla. Their present home was a parsonage granted from his work, but it was also due to his job that they'd moved here in the first place. It had worked out fairly well, all things considered. Belhalla Secondary, though an expensive school, was also part of the Mid-Grannvalian Conference, and thus had agreed to annul his daughter's tuition.

Fee's older brother, Ced, was off attending Rivough State University on an academic scholarship he'd earned. He'd visited over the summer, and the two siblings had spent quite a bit of time together. However, now that the summer was finally at an end, Fee had no means to stay entertained.

"Blaah," Fee grumbled dejectedly. "Daaad, I'm so bored. Do you think you can give me some money? That way, I could at least go shopping at the mall or something."

Claud shook his head, bemused. "Show me your grades in a week or two, then we'll talk."

Fee pouted at him. "I met two girls in class today, you know. They were really nice, too." She heaved a deep sigh, sounding more distressed than she really felt. "Tine and Linda. After school, they invited me to go to the mall. There's a new cafe down there with great bubble tea."

"Yeah?" her father asked, quirking an eyebrow. "And you'll be finding a part-time job so that you can join them sometime, right?"

"Blech... jerk," she grumbled under her breath.

Marth trundled down the hallway, collar jingling. He paused next to Fee, scanning the study.

"Hey, Marzipoodle," Claud said, beckoning to the dog. Marth approached the pastor, tail wagging.

Fee glared at the mutt. "Mars, you turncoat! Fine, then. I'm going up to my room to read." She turned on her heel and began heading up the stairs.

"Hey, before I forget," Claud called from below, "there's some leftovers in the fridge from last night."

"I already saw," she hollered back.

Once up in her room, she walked to her bookshelf and scanned its contents for something to read. "Eaagh," she lamented. "I should have gotten something from the school library..."

Eventually she settled on an old leather-bound volume, and cozied up on her bed with it. Her father had always said it was Fury's favorite, although Fee couldn't remember whether or not that was true. It was a fairy tale—some saccharine, outdated gibberish about a knight and a magical princess. But somehow, Fee enjoyed it even during her most cynical moments. There was something special about the book that her late mother had been so fond of, such that Fee never tired of reading it.

It was dark by the time she was hungry enough to be bothered to go forage for something. The leftovers her dad mentioned hadn't looked appealing earlier, so Fee settled on a bowl of cereal.

A faint jingling from down the hall indicated Marth's arrival.

"Hey, Marzipan. You already done with your heresy?" she asked around a mouthful of cereal.

Ignoring her query, Marth stretched with a great yawn. Then he laid down, head on paws, to watch her through the darkness.

Once Fee finished her slapdash meal, she quickly washed the bowl and set it on the rack to dry. "I'm headed to bed," she told the mutt. "You can come if you want. Otherwise just go back to dad's room."

Heading back upstairs, Fee changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. There were a dozen niggling anxieties scurrying through her mind, and she was grateful when sleep finally overtook her.


	3. The Second Day

Like most other schools, things ramped up gradually at the start of the semester. The first full day was mostly icebreakers and getting to know the other students. Fee's classes were Trigonometry, French 3, Marine Science, Senior Literature, Ceramics 2, Sociology, and Senior History.

The day passed by quickly, and Fee found herself thankful that summer was over. School gave her something to do, of which she'd been in desperate need. As Sociology finished, she made her way back up to the second floor for history. Room 221, just like before.

The suave brown-haired teacher glanced up from his work, smiling as she entered. "Good to see you again, Miss Edda."

Fee nodded quietly, her cheeks reddening from the inordinate attention. Trying to ignore the faint fluttering in her stomach, she made her way to her seat.

Once class started, Mr. Chalphy passed sheets out to the class and explained the activity. "Hello, everyone. I hope your first real day of classes has been going well. I realize you mostly know each other already, but we'll be starting with an icebreaker activity. The sheet I passed out to you has a list of questions on it. What's your favorite animal, what's your favorite subject, that kind of thing. There're two blanks on each line. For now, take a minute or two to answer these questions, using the first blank. We'll worry about the second column later."

After he'd given the class several minutes, Mr. Chalphy continued. "Now that you've answered the questions, your next task is to get up and talk to your classmates. Try to find someone with the same answer as you for a question, and get their signature in the second column. You may only use an individual classmate once, so be careful about which answers you pick. I'll grant a point of extra credit to anyone who manages to fill out the second column without any duplicates. Ready? ...Go!"

A storm of excited chatter erupted in the room. Fee didn't have to try very hard to talk to her classmates, as most of them came to her.

One of her classmates, a blue-haired boy, approached. "Hey, my name is Lester," he said with a grin.

"I'm F-Fee," she replied bashfully.

He leaned forward, scanning through her list of answers. "Hm? Bingo! Our favorite animals are the same. Mind signing for me?"

The two classmates exchanged papers and jotted down their names. Lester quirked his head sidelong at her. "Hey, since horses are your favorite, have you ever thought of joining the equestrian team?"

Fee blinked owlishly at his question. "Huh? O-oh. No, I didn't know this school had one."

He nodded agreement. "Some of our best riders graduated last year, so we need some new people. You should consider trying out."

She frowned in response. "I'm not really a good rider, though. I don't even know how to ride, really..."

Lester paused thoughtfully, considering. "Well, we've got one of the best coaches in Grannvale teaching us. I bet you'd pick things up pretty quick. And it'd be a good way to meet other students. You are new, right?"

"Y-yeah," she agreed. "Uh, who's the equestrian team coach?"

He pointed a thumb over his shoulder to Mr. Chalphy, who was sitting patiently at his desk. He'd set a timer for the activity, and was quietly reading a book.

"H-him?" she asked, feeling her head swim.

Her classmate chuckled at her reaction. "Yep. Mr. Chalphy is a pretty good rider. Anyway, you should think about it. First practice is Friday next week."

Fee nodded, and the two of them resumed work on the class activity. Before long, the timer went off and Mr. Chalphy brought order back to the classroom. "Everyone, find your way back to your seats, please. Go ahead and pass your sheets forward so I can collect them."

"Now, can someone raise their hand and tell me why we study history?" he asked, collecting the assignments from each column.

A boy with silver hair whom Fee was unfamiliar with raised his hand.

"Yes, Arthur?" the teacher called on him.

"If we learn about history, we can avoid the mistakes other people made," he explained.

Mr. Chalphy seemed pleased by that answer. "Indeed and thank you, Arthur. Hopefully you all haven't forgotten what you've learned about Jugdral in previous years at our institution. This year, however, we'll be focusing more on the continents of Archanea and Valentia. Our curriculum will tie into Jugdral's history as often as is pertinent."

He flipped on the room's projector, which splayed a picture of a globe across the front of the room. "This is Jugdral, of course," he said, indicating the familiar land. "The other two continents on our world lie fairly close together on the other side of the globe. Jugdral happens to be separated from them on either side by vast oceans. Now, in this class we will be learning Archanean history first. Can anyone tell me why Archanea's history is so important for us to learn about?"

The teacher cast his gaze about the room, finally settling on a black-haired girl. "Laylea?"

"The... divine dragon tribe?" she asked dubiously.

Mr. Chalphy nodded approval. "Correct. In its infancy, Archanea was ruled by a dragon tribe. Among these dragons were the very same gods which once descended upon Darna, granting the twelve crusaders the power to defeat the Loptyrian Empire. We likely wouldn't be living such privileged lives without the Miracle of Darna."

"We won't be getting into it any more today, but that's at least a brief introduction for all of you. Any questions?" He paused for a moment, giving his class a chance to volunteer any potential queries. "No? In that case, you may socialize quietly for the rest of the hour."

The teacher returned to his desk and the class grew lively once again. Since Fee didn't particularly know anyone in class, she approached Mr. Chalphy. "S-sir, do you mind if I stop by the library?"

He smiled pleasantly at her. "Of course. You have your planner with you?"

Fee nodded, handing it to him. He initialed it before returning it to her. She thanked him politely, then headed down to the library.

Belhalla Secondary's library was a fair size, taking up a good chunk of the first floor. She began looking idly through the shelves, and eventually settled on a fantasy novel. One of the librarians checked it out for her, and she headed back to class.

She had barely returned when the bell rang. Her classmates gathered up their things and began leaving. Fee wandered up to her teacher. "Mr. Chalphy?" she asked nervously.

He glanced up from his book. "Yes?"

"Could you m-maybe tell me about the equestrian team?"

"Ah, of course," he said with a chuckle. "Are you a rider yourself?"

Fee shook her head. "No," she explained. "I believe my mother was, though."

Mr. Chalphy paused, pursing his lips thoughtfully. "Miss Edda, was your mother by chance a woman named Fury?"

She blinked in surprise. "Y-yes, sir. Did you know her?"

"Of a sort," he agreed. "When I was young, I was homeschooled by my cousin, Sigurd. He was good friends with Fury. How is she doing of late?"

"W-well," Fee stammered, "she passed away some time ago."

His face darkened, and he shook his head ruefully. "My apologies for bringing up such a bitter memory, Miss Edda."

"No, it's fine. But why did you ask?"

The man's expression was unreadable as he replied. "If I may be perfectly honest, you're the spitting image of her."

Fee didn't know what else to say, so she returned to her earlier question. "S-so, about the club?"

"Right," he agreed. Pulling open his desk, he procured a packet. "Here," he said, offering it to her. "Information about the club, as well as enrollment fees and parental affidavit. Take a look through it at home with your father."

She gratefully accepted it from him. "Thank you, Mr. Chalphy."

"Of course, Miss Edda. I'd love to have you on our team," he said with his pleasant smile.

"Right." Fee carefully placed the packet into her backpack before leaving. "Bye, Mr. Chalphy," she called over her shoulder.

"Stay cool," the teacher replied.

On her way home, Fee continued to think about the possibility of joining the equestrian team. The more she did, the more she was convinced she wanted to give it a shot. Caught up in nervous anticipation, the walk flew by quickly.


	4. Acquiescence

"No," the pastor said simply.

Fee felt her tongue turn to cotton in her mouth. "But dad, why not?"

"I'm sorry, but we can't afford it," he said, shaking his head. "While the conference was willing to waive your tuition costs, they won't do as much for activities. And this... it's just too much. Isn't there another one?"

"I don't care about the other ones," Fee said bitterly.

Her father shrugged helplessly, returning the packet to her. "Sorry, kiddo. But I can't help you."

Fee snatched it from his hand and stormed up to her room. After a change of clothes, she went back downstairs and prepared Marth for a walk. "It's stupid," she grumbled, clipping on his leash. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why did dad even enroll me in this school if we can't afford its activities? Eargh!"

The two walked the same route as before, tracing the perimeter of the city park. Before they could leave, Fee sat down on one of the park benches. "Mars Bars, what should I do?" she asked with a dejected sigh.

He replied with one of his soundless woofs, wagging his tail.

"I... blech," she grumbled. "Frankly, I don't know."

Her companion chimed in with another woof. _Maybe Claud was right about you getting a job._

"Heretic!" Fee accused him. But after a moment, she couldn't help but shrug. "Y-yeah... maybe. Honestly? I don't know if I'll get used to it here. And getting a job? Eghh... What's the point? I doubt I'd even have time for both. But maybe it is better than dying from boredom."

Woof.

"That's true," she agreed, sounding disappointed. "Maybe I should look into the other clubs. After all, I haven't even checked what else they've got."

Marth continued wagging his tail happily.

"Well, that works," Fee thought aloud. "I guess worrying about it isn't getting me anywhere. Neither is being upset at dad. So maybe I'll just check in the office sometime, I'm sure they've got an activities list." Then, she frowned quietly. "On the other hand, I was kinda hoping to get to know... my advisory teacher a bit better."

The mutt pressed close to her, and Fee gratefully petted him. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. Thanks, Marzipan... I do feel a bit better, now."

He grinned at her, happy to have been of use.

"Let's get on back home," Fee offered. Taking to her feet, she and Marth finished walking back to the parsonage.

Once inside, she released the heretic dog and proceeded to her room. Finding the book she'd checked out, she settled down on her bed and began to read. The girl was grateful for the escapism afforded by the story, and sure enough felt her frustration waning.

* * *

School continued, as it does, and Fee kept herself busy. The prospect of her dad rewarding good grades was somewhat dubious, but schoolwork at least gave her something to do.

Come Wednesday, Mr. Chalphy flagged her down as she was leaving his class. "Fee, I never heard back from you about the equestrian team."

The frustration came back to Fee all at once, and she made a sour face. "Y-yeah, about that... I don't think I can do it after all."

Her teacher frowned in response. "How unfortunate. If you don't mind my asking, what in particular was the problem?"

Fee cast him a glance more baleful than she'd intended. "It's nothing," she said, shaking her head quietly.

Mr. Chalphy cleared his throat before continuing. "Miss Edda, you've been doing quite well in your classes so far. We've a grant which can cover enrollment fees for students who do well academically. That even includes tournament expenses. Might that help?"

"Ehehe," she laughed awkwardly. "I don't remember whether that was the problem... but I'll ask dad again tonight."

Fee left his room, desperately wanting not to feel as stupid as she did. He'd read her like an open book, and now she just felt vulnerable and dumb. As a pastor, her father didn't make much money, a fact Fee usually kept to herself.

She made her way home like always, and once more took Marth for a walk. When they returned, the red civic was parked in the driveway.

Fee poked her head into her father's study. "I talked to Mr. Chalphy about the equestrian team again."

Claud cast her a curious glance from behind his desk. "So?"

"He said I might be able to get an academic scholarship for it. I think there was a form for it with the rest of the stuff. W-would that change your mind, dad?" she asked hopefully.

He took a moment to collect his thoughts before answering. "I still don't like it," he told her. "It's dangerous."

She was gripped by bitter disappointment once again. "But daaaad," she lamented. "Mr. Chalphy, he's one of the best teachers in Grannvale. I-I'm sure he won't let us get hurt. Pleeeaase?"

"You still have it?"

Fee ran to the front room, quickly rummaged through her backpack for the packet, then ran back to her father. "Here," she handed it to him.

The pastor accepted it reluctantly. "And when do you need this paperwork filled out by?"

"First practice is Friday."

He flipped through the papers once more, then glanced back to his daughter. "Fine, you've convinced me. We'll give it a shot, Fee."

She could hardly believe his words. "Thanks, daddy—you're the absolute best!" Fee exclaimed, giving him a powerful hug.

"Just keep doing well in class. And please, try not to get hurt."

The girl laughed merrily, letting go of her father. "I can't wait to tell Ced about this. He'll be so jealous, I know it."

She returned to the living room and eventually calmed down enough to finish her homework for the day. After that, Fee headed up to her room to settle down with a book for the rest of the evening.


	5. Meet the Team

The campus was quite large, with the stable and track a fair distance from the main building. There was a separate small schoolhouse nearby, containing a single classroom. That was where the equestrian team met on Friday.

Lester was the only one of her teammates that Fee recognized. However, it was a small enough group that she was sure she'd manage.

Delmud was a very calm and collected senior with brassy hair he usually wore combed back.

His sister Nanna was also on the team. She was a very pretty junior with shoulder-length blond hair and doe eyes. While she wasn't as skilled a rider as her brother, she showed a lot of promise. One of her goals was to get an academic scholarship to Agusty University, where her cousin Ares was currently attending.

The fourth member of the equestrian team was Scipio, who was Lester's cousin and frenemy. The junior had long blond hair that made Fee jealous, and he carried himself with what might have been a tad too much vanity.

"Good to meet you, everyone," she introduced herself in turn. "My name is Fee Edda, but please call me Fee. H-hopefully we can be friends in the future."

Mr. Chalphy's eyes creased with amusement as he watched the new team member. "Fee, we don't actually begin practice until Monday, and I don't plan on assigning you chores until next week, either."

She glanced to him, surprised. "B-but... then what's this?"

"It's a small get together," Delmud explained.

"Right," Nanna agreed. "We would've met even if there hadn't been anyone new with us. But since you're here, it's kinda like a party for you."

Scipio harrumphed quietly, unamused by their antics.

Lester snickered in his direction. "Hey cuz, if you keep doing that, your face'll get stuck that way."

The junior merely ignored his cousin's quip. Though she'd only just met him, Fee was already in doubt as to whether he could manage any expression other than baleful disdain.

Nanna looked to her new teammate, seeming like she might explode from excitement. "So, I couldn't get out of chemistry early, otherwise I would have decorated a little bit better."

"N-not at all, Nanna. It looks great already," Fee said nervously.

The teammates bantered like that for a few more minutes before their coach cut in. "Fee, now that you've met the other students, did you want to meet the rest of the team?"

Fee turned around, looking into his somber brown eyes. "There's more?" she asked blankly.

"Can't have an equestrian team without horses, you know," Delmud pointed out.

"O-oh, of course," she managed, feeling her cheeks redden.

Mr. Chalphy beckoned to her. "Come on," he said simply.

Leaving the rest of the team in the schoolhouse, she followed him to the stable.

"We're lucky to have such good horses," he told her. "Clive, Fernand, Faye, Roshea, Abel, and Mahnya. This one," he explained, gesturing to the latter, "she's our most mild-mannered horse. You'll be learning to ride with her. Care to introduce yourself?"

Despite feeling somewhat silly, Fee approached the bay mare. "H-hi there. My name is Fee, nice to meet you."

Suddenly, Mahnya threw her head in annoyance, and Fee stumbled backward.

Mr. Chalphy deftly caught her before she could fall. "Are you alright, Fee?"

Her heart began pounding and her face flushed with embarrassment from his touch. "M-my apologies, sir. She startled me is all..."

He chuckled sheepishly. "She's usually a lot gentler than this. I'd wager she's only nervous because you are, too. Give it time, though," he explained, flashing her one of his handsome smiles. "You'll get used to her, I'm quite sure of it. Having a strong bond with your mount is one of the most important parts of riding, you know."

"R-right," she agreed. "They're all quite pretty horses. I'm looking forward to getting to know them better."

The coach nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Excellent. Then perhaps we should return to the club room," he replied, leading the way from the stable.

Her teammates were still celebrating when they got back to the schoolhouse.

"Welcome back," Nanna chimed happily. "They're great, aren't they?"

Fee couldn't help but smile. "Y-yeah, they're really beautiful. Kinda large, though."

Lester, who was in the middle of playing a card game with Scipio, spoke without missing a beat. "Yeah, they're a lot friendlier than they look at first. You'll get used to them before long."

"Feed them with an open palm and don't approach them from behind," Scipio added. "Even a greenhorn like you can manage that, I'd wager."

Delmud threw Fee a quizzical glance. "How's someone who barely knows horses end up signing up for the equestrianism team, anyway?"

Fee shrugged sheepishly. "My mom did a lot of riding back in the day. But when I was younger, I never had the opportunity to try it myself. I've always wanted to, though."

Nanna smiled brightly at that. "Good enough for me. We'll do what we can to help."

She returned the smile as best she could. "Thanks, Nanna."

The clubmates continued like that for a while before the festivities ended and they headed home for the evening. Although Fee'd had a good time, she was also grateful that it was over.

Her walk home was uneventful and quite grounding, granting her a chance to clear her thoughts. Once she was back at the parsonage, Marth greeted her at the doorway.

"Hey there, Mars Bars. I think it's a bit late for me to take you on a walk, otherwise I would. I've gotta work on my homework, though," Fee apologized, petting him.

Claud entered the front room and looked questingly over to his daughter. "How did practice go?"

She took a deep breath before replying. "It was good, dad. I'm feeling... a bit overwhelmed by all the attention, but it's fine."

"Did you end up riding at all?"

Fee shook her head. "No, but Mr. Chalphy did introduce me to our club's horses."

He glanced sidelong at her. "Mr. Chalphy?"

"Yeah, the team's coach." Her cheeks reddened as she thought back to their earlier incident. "H-he's also my history teacher."

Her father pursed his lips thoughtfully for a moment or two. "Do you by chance know his first name?"

Fee began twirling a lock of her hair as she thought back. "Ehh... I think I've heard other teachers calling him Oifey in the hallway?"

Claud raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oifey, huh? Didn't realize he was teaching nowadays. Say hi to him for me sometime, will you?"

She cocked her head curiously. "W-wait—you know Mr. Chalphy?!"

He nodded agreement. "Sure. He and I were both allies of Sigurd back during the war. He wasn't old enough to fight, but as I recall he was Sigurd's tactician. I also want to say they were cousins."

Fee blinked owlishly, unsure what to say. "W-weird."

Her father grinned at that. "It's a small world, yes."

She shrugged off her backpack and began heading up to her room.

"Hey, are you planning on walking Marth tonight?"

Fee glanced down at him, frowning. "Do you mind if I do it tomorrow? I wanted to get started on my homework."

"Yeah," he said, nodding appreciatively. "That's fine. I made some chicken noodle for dinner, make sure to have some while it's still warm."

"Of course," she agreed. "I was gonna go change first."

"Okay. I'll leave the stove on low for now."

After returning to her room, Fee showered and changed, before heading down to try her dad's soup. It was fairly good, and she even had herself a second bowl. Heading to the living room, she started on her homework for the weekend.


	6. Mahnya

As the second day of practice, Tuesday was much less stressful than Monday had been. Fee did as coach had shown her, saddling Mahnya and leading her out of the stable. She stepped onto the stirrup and managed to sit herself atop the mare without incident.

This time, Fee wasn't nearly as nervous, and Mahnya was much more responsive to the reigns.

Mr. Chalphy, who had been watching the other riders practice, cast a glance over to Fee and Mahnya. He gave a thumbs up, seeing she'd managed to get saddled and mounted without any help.

Fee stiffly rode Mahnya over to him, feeling both awkward and a bit nervous of how high up she was. "Mr. Chalphy," she began, "what did you want me to do today?"

"For today, just keep working on holding the reigns and getting more comfortable with Mahnya," he replied. "Try to hold them farther down, about even with your hips. Not too much slack or too little, that way you keep control. And don't grip her with your knees, since that'll just make her go faster." He gestured to an empty field not too far off. "Go ahead and keep walking her around, just like that. Think you can manage?"

"Y-yeah, I think so."

The coach nodded, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Give me a holler if you need anything. Otherwise try to have fun and get a feel for the horse. You'll do fine."

Fee nodded obediently and rode Mahnya to the indicated field. It might have been a space used by another club, but not at the present time of year. She tried to do as Mr. Chalphy had instructed, with regards to her knees and the reigns.

"I'm just glad you're not trying to scare me again," the novice rider grumbled.

The mare sneezed, inadvertently pulling on the reigns. Fee adjusted her grip like she'd seen her teammates do, giving them some slack so that Mahnya wouldn't pull against the bit.

"Whew," Fee muttered under her breath, "and coach says you're the low-maintenance one. I guess most of the other mounts would have thrown me already, huh?"

Mahnya whinnied in agreement.

"Hah, I bet you and Marth would love each other. You're both goobers, aren't you? Well, I guess I must be, too, since I get along with both of you so well."

After they'd made their way around and about the field more times than she could count, Fee was finally sore enough to call it. She began riding Mahnya back to the rest of the team, patting the mare on the neck. "Thanks, Mahnya. You did really good today. Even though you were a bit scary when we first met, you really are a big sweetheart, huh?"

The mare lifted her head proudly, and it seemed there might have been just a bit of swagger in her step as they continued.

"You know, dad was worried about whether or not I'd be safe joining the team," Fee thought to herself. "If he could see us like this, I bet his worries would vanish. Plus, I don't think coach would let anything happen to us." The rider's gaze wandered back to her teacher, and her lips quirked into an idle smile.

Mr. Chalphy turned, seeing the two of them approach. "You already done, Fee?" he asked.

She found herself casting her eyes to the ground. "Y-yes, coach," she replied quietly. "I'm kinda sore, is all."

He nodded understandingly. "Of course. Go ahead and take Mahnya back to her stable, then come on back."

Fee dismounted and walked Mahnya back to her stall, which by this point wasn't very far. She made sure to give the mare a carrot and another appreciative pat on the neck. "How're you holding up? Hopefully we can keep working together from now on. Anyhow, I need to go see what coach wanted. I haven't seen him get upset before, but I don't want to keep him waiting, either. Bye, Mahnya!"

She made her way back to where Mr. Chalphy had been, and he gestured to the other riders. "Pay attention to their posture. You've made some good progress today, especially with handling the reigns. You've also got to be very mindful of your seating and posture. Not too stiff or you'll make it hard on the horse, but don't slouch, either. See how Scipio holds himself? Chin up, his weight falling down on his heel. It's not about gripping onto the horse, it's about keeping your balance."

Although it was a lot of information to take in, Fee did her best and observed her teammates obediently. After a few minutes, she glanced over to the dusky figure. A question bubbled to the surface of her mind and she asked it without a second thought. "Where'd you learn to ride, Mr. Chalphy?"

He chuckled before scratching his chin thoughtfully. "You recall what I told you about my cousin Sigurd? He's the one who taught me how to ride. There were plenty of horses on his estate, and learning was much more entertaining than reading a book—at least back when I was a kid."

Fee's lips traced into another smile. "I'm kind of jealous. I never had any opportunities like that when I was growing up."

Mr. Chalphy nodded thoughtfully before he replied. "We each have different opportunities, and it's our job to make the most of what life doles out to us." Then he turned his gaze to Fee, and her stomach fluttered weakly. "You've done well today. You're excused to go home and get some rest for tomorrow."

Fee turned around, her cheeks beginning to burn. "Y-yes, Mr. Chalphy. Thank you."

"Try to stay cool," he reminded her.

"Of course," she agreed. And with that, she began making her way home.

* * *

That Saturday, Fee headed back to school to handle stable chores. She and Nanna had both been assigned mucking duties for the day, and between the two of them it made for quick work.

Nanna's house was in the same direction as Fee's, and after they'd finished with their chores the two began walking home together.

"So what kind of stuff do you do at home?" Nanna asked curiously.

"Um, I used to play with my brother Ced," Fee explained. "He's gone to university now, so there's not a whole lot to do. I guess I like reading, though."

The junior nodded attentively, listening. "Reading, huh? Is there a particular kind of book you like?"

"Y-yeah," Fee agreed. "Fairy tales, usually."

Nanna's face brightened at that. "Oh, cool. Is that what you're reading right now?"

"I-it is. I got one from the library about Rapunzel, but it isn't my favorite."

"Hmm? Then what's your favorite?"

"Well," Fee began, "my mother's old book... I must have read it twenty times, but it never gets old."

"So," the junior continued, "what's it about?"

"Aah, well... it's about a hero prince who overthrows a warlock emperor."

"A prince?" Nanna asked, looking sidelong at her companion as they walked.

"You know, a prince. Tall, broad shoulders, and handsome, too. Riding atop a brilliant white stallion into battle."

The junior turned a peculiar glance to Fee. "With brown hair, expressive dark eyes, and a dashing mustache?"

"Ehehe," Fee tittered nervously. "H-have you read this book or something?"

Nanna shook her head. "No, not that I recall. It's just that it seemed... kinda like you were describing coach for a second there. Complete with Abel the white stallion, you know."

Fee's stomach did a nervous flip, and her thoughts exploded into a disjointed whirlwind. "Ah—no no no no no no, the guy in mom's book is nothing like coach," she stammered, her cheeks turning crimson. "B-besides, it's n-not like Mr. Chalphy is... handsome."

The junior cocked her head and thought about it for a moment. "Huh. Actually, I hadn't really thought about it, but I suppose he is, kinda. He's sorta the strong silent type, and he's very confident. Definitely too old for us, though."

"Y-yeah," Fee agreed, trying to sound nonchalant. "S-so are you doing anything this weekend?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Hmm," Nanna mused. "No, I guess not. What about you?"

"Mostly just homework," Fee replied. "I'm trying not to fall behind in classes, you know? And senior lit is especially hard. We've got another essay due by the end of next week."

"I'm jealous," the junior said, pouting. "I wish I had as easy a time studying as you. It's just so dull, you know?"

"Right. But it's always easier to enjoy the weekend once you've got all your work done."

"Yeah, I suppose that's true," conceded Nanna. As they neared an intersection, the two slowed down. "Anyhow, it was good talking to you, Fee. I'm glad we could get to know each other a bit."

Fee gave her friend a nervous smile. "Sure thing. Thanks for walking with me, Nanna. Take care."

The pretty blonde flashed a cheerful smile in return. "You too, Fee! Have a good weekend and see you on Monday."


	7. Apprehension

Once things had become fairly routine, school began to pass by quickly. One Monday a few weeks later, Arthur flagged Fee down at the end of history class. "Fee, have you got a minute?"

She blinked at him, surprised. "Sure, yeah. What's up?"

"Tine wanted me to ask you if you're able to come over tonight after practice. To work on trigonometry with her."

Fee considered it before she answered. "Yeah, I think it'd be fine. Oh, do you think you can write your address down for me?" She pulled her planner out of her bag and offered it to him. He duly jotted down their address before returning it. "Thanks, Arthur!"

"Any time. Seeya, Fee," he replied with a jaunty wave.

After class, she made her way to practice, as usual. Over time, all her practice had begun to pay off, and Fee was on her way to becoming a proficient rider. Her present task was developing her riding aids, especially non-hand communication. Excessive use of the bit could stress a horse more than necessary, which ultimately could be detrimental to the horse's training. Moreover, Fee could tell that Mahnya didn't like her bit, and this itself provided motivation for her to master the other cues.

Near the end of practice, Fee approached Mr. Chalphy. "Coach, do you mind if I leave a bit early today? I've got to go to Tine's to work on trigonometry tonight."

"That'd be fine, yes. You've been improving quite rapidly of late. You and Mahnya make a great team, don't you?" He smiled his pleasant smile, and Fee's mouth turned to cotton.

"Th-thank you, sir," she barely managed. "S-see you tomorrow."

"Later, Fee." With that, he turned his attention back to the other students.

Fee cleaned up and began heading out to Tine's house. It was on the other side of the city park from the parsonage, about an extra fifteen minutes' walk.

She rung the doorbell and before long Tine answered. "Heya, glad you could make it," she chimed. "Come on in."

It was a nice house, much bigger than her own. Fee imagined that it might even have been big enough for more than one family to live in.

"Do you mind if we work down here in the living room?" Tine asked.

Fee shook her head in response. "No, not at all. How come it's so big, though?"

"It's not that big," her classmate quibbled. "We do have a few guest bedrooms, I guess. Sometimes Amid and Linda use them when they come over. Ishtore and Ishtar used to visit, too, but they're both going to university in Freege right now. They've been too busy to stop by."

"Are they your cousins, too?"

"Mhmm," Tine agreed. "Ishtar and I, we look a lot alike. She's got long hair and is very pretty. I'm sure she's doing great at university, since she's so smart."

"I suppose it makes sense to have such a big house if you've got that much family."

"Yeah, I suppose. So hey, let's get working, alright?"

The two fished out their trigonometry binders and sat on the floor by the coffee table. They first went through what was left of their homework assignments, then they compared answers on the study guide.

Once they were done, Tine heaved a weary sigh. "Finally," she lamented, "I didn't think we would make it."

Fee grinned at her friend. "Come on, it isn't that bad."

"Pfft—yeah it is," Tine replied. "If it's not so bad for you, it's because you're so smart."

"W-what?" Fee stammered, her cheeks flushing from the unexpected compliment. She was so used to being compared to Ced that she never considered herself to be smart. Ced was nigh genius, after all. "That's not true. It's just a matter of taking good notes and doing the assignments."

"Whatever," Tine said, shrugging helplessly. "So how do you like Belhalla so far? Have you got a boyfriend yet?" she asked, changing the topic.

Fee's stomach did a wet somersault and her face turned beet red. "W-well, first off how are those two things related? Now that the summer's over and I'm keeping busy with riding practice, I don't mind Belhalla. I've gotten to know my teammates, which is nice."

"Yeah?" Tine asked, her lips quirking into a grin. "And what about the boyfriend part?"

"Sh-shut up," sputtered Fee.

"What?" Tine asked dubiously. "New, smart, mysterious, pretty girl like you and you haven't gotten a boyfriend? The guys should be falling all over you."

Fee shrugged quietly. "I guess I haven't had enough time for anything like that."

"Oh, do you have a crush?" Tine asked, growing excited. "Fee, you _must_ tell me if you've got a crush."

Her face grew even hotter, and Fee was amazed it didn't catch fire.

"You do! You've got a crush, don't you?" Tine grinned from ear to ear with anticipation. "Can you tell me who it is?"

Fee awkwardly stared down at her hands in her lap, not knowing how to reply.

"Is it one of the guys at Belhalla Secondary?" Tine watched her friend's face for any response before changing her guess. "Hmm... is he from another school, then?

But Fee kept staring demurely at her lap, tongue-tied.

"No? Huh. Wait, is it... is it one of the teachers at our school?" Tine asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Fee's stomach sank and she felt her cheeks once again burning with embarrassment.

"It is?!" Tine gasped, her voice incredulous. "Is it Mr. Isaach? Wait, no... our advisory teacher, Mr. Chalphy?!"

Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes began brimming with tears. The embarrassment in her stomach seethed like brimstone, and Fee found herself wishing she was dead.

"Aah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean—" Tine apologized, placing a hand on Fee's shoulder. "It's not my business, alright? Really, Fee, I'm so sorry."

Fee took a few breaths to calm down and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "So, yeah," she said quietly. "Yeah..."

Tine giggled happily. "It's so sweet, though. You know, the two of you would be such a cute couple!"

"Shut up," Fee grumbled.

"What? It's the truth, though."

She simply glared bitterly at Tine. "You're not helping," she said, pouting.

"So," her friend continued, "what are you... planning on doing about it?"

Lost for words, Fee could only shrug in response.

Tine's eyes grew wide again. "Wait... is this your first romance? How is that even possible?"

She managed a halfhearted glare at her friend. "The school I went to in Silesse was a girl's only academy," she growled.

"Unfortunately," Tine explained, "I don't have a lot of experience with... this particular type of romance. So, um... while I wish I could help, I really don't think I can."

Fee heaved a dejected sigh, feeling defeated. "Right," she breathed.

"But," chimed Tine, "I'll be rooting for you all the way, I promise. And if you ever need to talk, I'd be more than happy to hear you out, okay?"

Fee nodded glumly. "Okay."

"Again, I'm... I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have teased that out of you."

Closing her eyes, Fee took a deep breath. "Honestly, it feels... it feels a bit better."

Tine nodded understandingly. "Yeah, keeping a crush bottled up can be painful. And if you can't do anything about it, talking about is the second best thing."

"Y-yeah, I suppose so."

"So do you mind going for a walk? There's an ice cream shop a block from the park we can hit on the way back to your house. What do you say? It'll be my treat."

Fee wiped her eyes once more and managed a smile for her silver-haired friend. "Thanks, Tine. I'd like that."


	8. Cedsy, the heretic

Fee made her way from sociology directly to history. Finding her desk, she put down her things and took a seat.

From his desk, Mr. Chalphy quirked his eyebrow at her. "Fee? It's still passing period, you know."

"Huh? Oh, that. Y-yeah, I know. I just didn't have anything to do," she explained sheepishly.

"You could stretch your legs, visit the restroom, talk to your friends," he pointed out.

"I-I'm fine."

"Alright then," he replied, his eyes creased in amusement.

"B-besides," she started.

"Hmm?"

"Y-you," Fee stammered quietly, "you're really good at listening."

Mr. Chalphy graced her with his handsome smile, and Fee's heart fluttered at the sight. She quickly cast her gaze down to her lap, feeling her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Actually, I've been meaning to tell you," he said, switching gears. "You did really well in that tourney last weekend. I thought I could celebrate by treating you sometime. What's your preferred poison?"

"W-w-what? B-but you don't need to—"

"I didn't say I _needed_ to," he pointed out. "But I do want to. You'll probably be ready to participate in intermediate tournaments soon. Honestly, I'm quite impressed with your progress."

"Um, okay. W-would..." Fee stammered, blushing. "W-would you like to go to coffee this weekend? I wanted to try that cafe at the mall."

The teacher glanced sidelong at her. "Kinda strange suggestion. You wouldn't prefer ice cream or something?"

Fee looked back down at her lap. "S-so that's a no?"

Mr. Chalphy made a sour face. "Well, I think I'll manage. Does Saturday work?"

"Y-yeah." Fee wasn't sure whether this was really happening or if she was dreaming. She gripped the side of her desk, trying to anchor herself back in reality. "Th-that's fine."

He nodded agreement. "How about we meet there at 9 o'clock, then?"

The girl managed to look him in the eye long enough to smile. "Thanks, coach!"

* * *

That evening, Ced called from Rivough. He caught up with Claud for a while, before the pastor called his daughter down. "Hey, you feel like talking to Ced tonight?"

Fee was downstairs in a flash, picking up the cordless phone from the kitchen. "Thanks, dad," she chimed happily. "Cedsy, how've you been?"

"I've been good, thanks. What about you, Fee?"

She bit her lip pensively. "I guess things aren't so bad. Summer was pretty boring, but since then I've been keeping too busy to notice."

"Gotcha," he replied. "It's pretty unfortunate that you guys moved when you did."

Fee took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "Well, it's kind of whatever. I wouldn't have joined the equestrian team back at Silesse High, you know?"

"Oh yeah, dad was telling me about that. Apparently you're a pretty good rider. Take after mom like that, huh?"

"Well," Fee's lips quirked into a bittersweet smile. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Cool. Have you been meeting some new friends, too?"

"Of course, dummy," she teased. "That's the point of school, isn't it?"

"Sure," he agreed. "But I know you've got some social anxiety, especially with moving to a new town and new school. Can't blame an older brother for looking out for his baby sister, can you?"

Fee giggled in response. "No, not really. Oh, by the way, there was a thing..."

"Yeah? What kind of thing?" he asked.

"Well, I wanted to pick your brain for something, is all."

"Shoot," he offered helpfully.

Fee's cheeks reddened and suddenly her voice was like porcelain. "Th-there's a guy..."

Ced heaved a pensive sigh. "A guy, huh? I'm guessing... you like him but don't know what to do about it?"

"Y-yeah," was all she could manage.

"One of the skills you need to master to really become an adult is communication. Sitting on your hands hemming and hawing won't really ever get you anywhere. So I know it can be hard, but I'd say go ahead and tell him how you feel. If he doesn't feel the same, then at least he spares you the time you'd have otherwise spent fretting over it. What do you think? Is that reasonable?"

"Well, I think so," Fee said quietly. "It's kind of weird, is all."

"I never thought I'd see the day where my little sister became a maneater," he teased.

"Gross! Why would anyone want to eat a guy, anyway?"

"It's a figure of speech, dummy," he explained. "A maneater is a woman who goes through lots of men, playing with their hearts."

"Blech, it's not like that. There's... there's only the one."

"Yeah, I know. I just gotta tease you, is all. Part of my job as a big brother."

"Well, thanks for the advice, Cedsy. How've your studies been?" Fee asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, you know. Optical science, physics, all that fun stuff."

"As long as you enjoy it," she said doubtfully. "It sounds like one big headache to me."

"Not at all," he said, sounding blithe. "I can't get enough of it."

"And how's the social life been?"

"Mmm, I'd say pretty well," he told her. "I never really had social anxiety like you, so I do alright."

"Heretic," she accused playfully.

"Speaking of which, how's Mars Bars been?"

"Oh, he's been the same as always. I haven't had as much time to walk him since practice started. We got around a lot during the summer, though."

Ced chuckled wryly. "Good. Well, it sounds like the sky hasn't fallen in the Edda household without me around. Actually, I've got some classwork I need to finish and it's getting pretty late. Have you got anything else for me?"

Fee frowned to herself, but didn't object aloud. "Not really, no. But I guess maybe call back soon so I can let you know how your advice works out. I miss talking to you, Cedsy."

"Yeah, I suppose I'd like to hear about your first foray into the art of heartbreaking."

"Shut up," Fee snapped. "I already told you, it's not like that."

"I hope not," he agreed. "Anyhow, it's been really good talking to you. Take care and good night, Fee."

"G'night, Cedsy. Talk to you later."

She turned off the phone and returned it to its dock in the kitchen. It had gotten fairly late, so Fee headed back to her room. She didn't have to read for long before she had fallen asleep.


	9. Aplomb

In truth, Fee had been too anxious to get any real work done that evening. She'd had trouble falling asleep, too, and eventually had to resort to taking a melatonin. Of course, that meant she was groggy in the morning, but that was better than having bags under her eyes.

Still wearing her pajamas, Fee headed downstairs and grabbed the phone from the kitchen. She dialed the number for Tine's house, and was relieved to hear her friend answer.

"Hey Tine, have you got a sec?"

"Fee? What's up? Did you feel like working on trigonometry again?"

"N-no." Fee squeezed her eyes shut and took several deep breaths, trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach. "I—Tine, I don't know what to do," she stammered.

"Wait, did something go wrong?" her friend asked, alarmed.

"W-we're going to c-coffee today... me and Mr. Chalphy."

"What?! That's great!" Tine exclaimed. "How'd you manage that?"

Fee didn't know what to say, so she simply remained silent.

"Anyway, what's the problem?" Tine asked, confused.

She groaned in response. "I don't—what do I do? I don't know what to wear," Fee explained, her eyes stinging with tears.

"Hmm," Tine pondered. "What time are you meeting him?"

"9 o'clock."

"Huh, that's lucky. We've still got time. Can I come over and help you pick something out?"

"Tine, you shouldn't have to worry about something so dumb."

"Fee, this isn't dumb at all, it's important. Besides, even if I don't have to, I want to. That's what friends are for, right?"

Despite her mounting anxiety, Fee couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Tine. Y-yeah... I'd really appreciate your help."

"'Kay, I'll be over in about five minutes. See you soon."

The five minutes Tine had promised felt like an eternity, but she did finally arrive. Fee let her friend in, and Marth promptly came over to inspect their visitor.

"Aww, who's this guy?" Tine asked, stooping down to pet the happy mutt.

"That's Marth," Fee explained. "I usually just call him Mars Bars or Marzipan, though."

"What a sweetheart," her friend cooed, scratching behind his ears.

"Y-yeah, he's pretty great," Fee agreed halfheartedly. Despite the whirlwind in her head, she tried not to sound as panicked as she felt.

Tine gave her friend a rueful glance. "Sorry, we should go figure this out, huh?"

Fee nodded and led the way up to her room.

"It's just that we haven't got any dogs at home. Mom is allergic, you know? But I've got a soft spot for them."

"Maybe the next time we work on trig, we can do it here," Fee offered with a nervous smile. "I bet Marth would enjoy the company."

Tine tut-tutted in response. "Fee, this is your day. You can't be so glum, you know? I _might_ take you up on that offer, though."

"R-right, I get it... still, though."

"How do you feel about this guy?" Tine asked, glancing sidelong at her friend.

"I-I like him," Fee barely voiced the words.

"And this is your chance to tell him how you feel. You get to put your radiant maiden's heart on display for him to see. Let's make the most of it starting right now, okay?"

Although she wasn't quite convinced, Fee took a deep breath and forced herself to smile. "Alright," she agreed.

In Fee's room, Tine started sorting through all the potential options for the coffee date, explaining as she went. "So you want something mature, and of course you want to look cute. So it boils down to how dressed up you want to look. You know, it's just coffee, so you don't want to look like you're making too much of it? But girls can wear comfortable things that also happen to look nice."

"Okay, try these on," Tine said, indicating a pair of brown knee high boots and a denim A line. Fee obliged, quickly putting them on. The skirt didn't quite meet the boots, leaving the lower part of Fee's thighs exposed.

"Very sexy," Tine said, grinning wickedly. "I'm sure he'll be very impressed. Here, try this with it," she continued, handing her friend a cream turtleneck.

Fee accepted the sweater and donned it. She walked across her room to the standing mirror and did a double take as she saw her reflection. Tine seemed to have a talent for this, as Fee admittedly did look good.

"Well?" Tine asked, her lips curled into a satisfied smirk. "Starting to feel confident yet?"

She took a deep breath and counted back from five before replying. "Yeah, I do... I never really get to look this pretty, you know?"

Tine's voice was effervescent as she replied: "Girl, you could rock way more than this look. I'll have to take you shopping sometime so we can get you some new clothes."

Fee's cheeks reddened at the compliment, but she flashed her friend a grateful smile. "Thanks, Tine."

"No problem," Tine replied. "So, you should probably be getting going over there soon. Do you want me to give you a lift?"

"Do you think my hair will be fine like this?" Fee asked, wishing it was longer.

"It's fine, Fee. Very cute, I promise."

She glanced to her friend, pouting. "I... I wish I had hair like yours."

Tine giggled before sticking out her tongue. "It takes work to be this beautiful," she said, flouncing her silver locks.

Fee laughed in turn, then walked over to her dresser. In a small jewelry box atop it was a silver ring. She placed it on her left thumb and smiled thinly to herself.

"Jewelry?" Tine asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Yeah," Fee agreed. "It's mother's wedding band."

"Perfect," Tine beamed. "Shall we, then?"

"Sure, let's go."

The two headed downstairs, and were promptly met by Marth. The mutt walked over with his favorite toy, tail wagging.

Fee crouched down, giving him a big smooch on the forehead. "I can't play right now, Marzipan, but definitely later. Thanks for the good luck wishes, though."

With that, the two friends left. Tine's car, a blue SUV, was parked on the street in front of the parsonage. The two climbed in and Tine drove them over to the mall.


	10. Peace of Mind

Since Fee was running a little bit late, the teacher had already found a seat at the cafe. He glanced up from his book, and his lips quirked into a thin smile as he saw her approaching.

It was a wonder she could walk at all: stomach aflutter, knees wobbly, and heart brimming with a dozen emotions. But Tine had been right—this was her day, and so Fee walked over to him and returned his smile as best she could.

"Good morning, coach," she said brightly, taking a seat at his table.

"Morning, Fee. Are you going somewhere after this?"

"Hmm? Not really. W-why?" she asked nervously.

"You look quite nice, is all," he pointed out, scratching his chin. "I didn't realize coffee warranted dressing up."

"Oh." Fee felt her cheeks redden, but she laughed it off. "Sometimes it's nice to feel pretty, is all. Our school uniform is cute, but it's good to dress for fall sometimes, too."

His lips creased slightly with amusement. "Well, the whole point of this was I was going to treat you. Do you already know what you want?"

She couldn't help but blush at his question, before realizing what he really meant. "Eh—oh, coffee. Yes, I know what beverage I'd like..."

The two went over to the front counter and placed their order. Oifey ordered a Sumatran pourover, and Fee got a hot mocaccino. He paid for their drinks and they made their way back to the table.

"So, what's had you so motivated to learn?" He asked curiously. "You're one of the quickest studies I've seen when it comes to riding."

Fee tittered nervously. "Um, I guess I just take after my mom. Also, I get along really well with Mahnya."

His face darkened at Fury's mention, and he took a moment to collect himself. "True on both counts, yes." Turning to his beverage, Oifey occupied himself with preparing his coffee. "You've done great in history, too. Is there a particular university you're aiming for?"

She took a few long seconds to consider before she answered his question. "No, not really. Or not yet, anyway."

His lips quirked into a grin like before. "Oh? It seems like you've been trying to impress someone, though."

Fee's mouth fell open and she was speechless for a full moment before she found her words. "You aren't telling me to slack off more, are you? It's my education, and I figure I should make the most of it."

"That's true," Mr. Chalphy agreed. "But we're also talking about your youth, here. Just like your education, you only get one. Make the most of it."

The corners of her mouth fell into a moue. "Well, yeah," she conceded. "But I do want to be more grown-up. Taking things like schoolwork seriously is a good start, right?"

"I suppose so," he mused. "In that case, you should probably consider whether you plan on going to university. You're more than bright enough to study just about anything you put your mind to, Fee."

She blushed at his compliment, but smiled in turn. "Thanks, coach. You know, my brother Ced is attending Rivough State right now."

"Sure. Are you considering applying there, too?"

Fee shrugged quietly, and took a sip of her mocacinno. "Rivough is kinda far."

Oifey lifted an eyebrow. "What's wrong with that? You're from Silesse, right?"

Her tongue went dumb for a second, but Fee took a grounding breath and calmed herself. "Yeah, I am," she explained quietly. "But Belhalla has become kinda like home already."

"That's good to hear," he replied appreciatively. "I take it that means you've been making friends. Mind, a fair number of them will be studying abroad next year, you can count on that."

"What about you?" Fee asked with a nervous glance. "You're planning on working in Belhalla for a while?"

He made a face that Fee didn't quite recognize, then took a draught of his coffee. "I... don't quite see how it's relevant. But yes, I'll probably stick with it for a while. It's a good school, and I'm fairly fond of Belhalla."

"Well, isn't it about as relevant as what _I'm_ doing next year?"

Oifey shook his head in disagreement. "No. What you do next year is relevant because we were discussing your education and how you might make the most of it. Whether I keep teaching doesn't have anything to do with it."

Fee cast a glum look at her drink. "I guess you're right. S-sorry, Mr. Chalphy," she apologized. "I d-didn't mean to pry."

He shrugged dismissively. "I'm not worried about it. So, what's your brother studying?"

She couldn't help but make a sour face. "Optical science? Something along those lines."

"What's that?"

"The study of light, as either a ray, a wave, or a particle. He's, um... he's a bit of a nerd. I don't even know what he thinks he's going to do with that kind of degree. It's not like he'll be using light to magically siphon strength from bad guys or something."

Her teacher blinked owlishly. "Pardon?"

"Anyhow, there's a university here in Belhalla, right?"

Fee's question gave him pause. "There is a private university in Belhalla, yes. It's quite an elite institution, though. For the best and brightest of Jugdral. And due to its high standards, scholarships are seldom given out."

She bit her lip and sighed inwardly. Cedsy could have attended Belhalla University if he'd wanted, but optical science wasn't one of their courses of study. Truthfully, Fee didn't know what she wanted to do after graduation. They'd kicked around some ideas during advisory, but nothing had really stuck with her. And with the pipedream that this relationship already was, it was silly to look for an excuse to stay near Oifey. Even if the idea _was_ worth entertaining, Fee probably wouldn't make the cut at an elite institution. "Huh," was all she could manage.

The teacher's eyes creased with concern. "You've still got some time to figure out what you want to do," he assured her. "It's part of the process of growing up. Keep with it and you'll figure it out."

Fee's mocacinno had grown cool enough that it no longer interested her. "Um, Mr. Chalphy?"

Their gazes met, and the girl's stomach did a somersault. "Yes, Fee?"

"D-do you mind if we go walk a little bit?"

Oifey's expression became unreadable. "Have you something to say which can't be said here, Miss Edda?" he asked, glancing sidelong at her.

Fee's cheeks burned with embarrassment, but she did her best to laugh it off. "Um, kind of a little bit. S-so, that's a no?"

"Where were did you have in mind?"

"I... I don't know. I'm still pretty new to town, so I don't know what's nearby."

He took to his feet and put up their mugs. Once back at their table, he beckoned her. "Come on," he said quietly.

Fee followed him, and like before, it was a wonder that she could even walk. They left the mall, and continued in silence. Two blocks off was a small park, much cozier than the one near her house. She laughed as she saw it, and ran over to the vacant playground. The girl seized one of the swings and cast a hopeful look to her companion. He chuckled to himself, then obligingly took the swing next to her.

"So, what is it you couldn't say back there?" he asked quietly.

Judging by the tone of his voice, Fee felt he probably already knew what it was. And in retrospect, this whole date was dumb and silly, but none of that mattered. _This is my day,_ she thought to herself.

"Mr. Chalphy, do you mind telling me a bit more about Fury?"

"What?" he asked blankly.

"If you do mind, then that's okay. But I thought I would ask."

"Hmm," he considered her question. "Well, she met up with Sigurd's forces when we were in Agustria. She was quite a talented rider, just like you. And when the war was over, she and Claud settled down in Silesse."

Fee turned her emerald eyes to him, and her voice was barely audible as she spoke. "You... you had feelings for her, didn't you?"

He froze in place, pain etched onto his handsome features. After a very long moment, he stood and began walking back toward the mall.

"I-I'm sorry," she stammered, her eyes stinging with tears. "I'm sorry that I can't... that I can't be her."

Hearing those words, he froze again. Oifey took several deep breaths, sorting out his thoughts. "Don't be." His voice was like polished bronze, beating through the pall cast around them. "You're you, Fee. I wouldn't... even if you could, I wouldn't ask you to be someone you aren't."

Fee slowly let out a breath she'd been holding. "I'm sorry," she repeated softly. The tears in her eyes began rolling down her cheeks, streaking her face with grief.

"Perhaps in another world, we could have been together..." His soft baritone was darkened by regret as he spoke.

"Oifey," she insisted, "I-I don't know all the horrible things that you went through during the war. B-but please..." she trailed off, at a loss for words.

He continued to stand there in reticence, waiting for her to finish.

Fee glanced down to the ring on her thumb, and grasped it with her other hand. "Mr. Chalphy, even if it's just a little bit, or only for a while... if I can help you find your peace of mind, then that's all I want," she laid her soul bare. "You said it yourself, earlier. I've only got one youth, and I want to spend the rest of it with you, starting now."

Oifey took a slow, arduous breath and let it out as a sigh. "Fee..." he said, turning around to face her. "You make it really hard to be a good person sometimes." There was a brittle smile on his lips, and his eyes were cast with sorrow.

She gripped the ring on her thumb once more, finding within it her mother's courage. Taking to her feet, Fee slowly walked across the sand to him and met his gaze. "If this was one of one of my fairy tales, you'd be the heroic, virtuous prince..." Her lips quirked into a bittersweet smile. "So, you don't have to worry about being a good person, I promise. The prince gets a free pass."

"It's not professional," he said, shaking his head wearily.

Fee tittered quietly, wiping the tears from her eyes. Taking a step forward, she gripped Oifey in a tight hug. "I don't care," she muttered defiantly.

He took a sharp breath, not knowing what to do with her. Finally, he placed one of his hands on her head and began running his fingers through her hair. "Claud would kill me."

"No," she said simply. "Never. Even if I have to wait til the end of this schoolyear... even if I have to get a scholarship to the most elite school, or climb a hundred mountains, smite dozens of heretics, or stop an evil mage-emperor from destroying Jugdral."

Oifey's face shifted into a frown and his dark eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Fee let go of her teacher and lifted her gaze, searching his stormy countenance. "Please, Oifey." Her lips quirked into a shy smile. "L-let me... let me be your heartsease."

Tears began falling from his eyes, and he chuckled bitterly. "At the end of Sigurd's campaign, Shanan and I abandoned him. We had to, there was... there was no other option. But to leave my own cousin to a fate worse than death?" He heaved a painful sigh. "I thought I was destined to live the rest of my days in pain and disgrace. Never in a million years..." He shook his head ruefully as more tears fell from his brown eyes.

She reached her hand up, placing it on his cheek. "Oifey, don't—"

A strangled sob escaped from his lips, and he embraced the young girl in his strong arms. "Never in a million years would I have imagined finding salvation strong enough to free me of that guilt."

Fee felt that she might melt in his arms, or that her heart might fly away. But she returned his embrace, sharing the burden of his pain and grief.

"I can't," he lamented, "there's no way I can ever deserve you, Fee. It's... too good to be true."

She continued to press close to him. "Then let's start together," she offered. "You help me be more grown-up, and I'll help you realize how good you really are."

Another breath tore from his chest, equal parts sob and laugh. He gripped her tighter and pressed his cheek against her soft hair.

The girl inhaled through her nose, appreciating the scent of his leather jacket. "I'm sorry," she told him. "If I'd waited, this might have been easier for you. But I couldn't, not if it meant leaving you with all that pain." Pressing gently on his chest, Fee quit his embrace. She graced him with her sweetest smile and took his hand, entwining their fingers. "Oifey, I love you too much to do that. So let's start the healing now, beginning with the rest of our lives."

He squeezed her hand and leaned forward, gently placing a kiss on her brow. "Fine then... from now on, you'll be my peace of mind," he said with a reverent smile. "Fee... my angel."


End file.
